Machine foe



April 24, 1928.

1,666,995 B. N. DAVIS MACHINE FOR LOADING AND UNLADING SHIPS Filed June l, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A 'I'TORNEYQ April 24, 1928. 1,666,995

B.rq.l3A\us MACHINE FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING SHIPS Filed June 1, 1925 5 sheets-sheet 2 l N V EN TOR.

,/ v f B-Y A.

April 24, 1928. 1,666,995

B. N. DAVIS MACHINE FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING SHIPS Filed June l, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY` Patented Apr. 24, i925.

UNITED STATES BEMISS N. DAVIS, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

MACHINE FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING SHIPS.

Application filed .Tune 1, 1925.

This invention relates to machines for loading and unloading fruit and the like into and out-ot` ships.

Such machines are ot' two general types o'l which the `machines of one oit these types are comparatively small machines designed to be stored on a dock when not in use and to bc moved so that when in use they are supported entirely upon the ship or, in the case ot some machines, partly upon the ship and partly upon the dock, and the machines ot the other type being larger machines dcsigned at all times to remain upon the dock; and the machine of the present invention bclongs to the latter type.

The machines of this latter type have commonly been mounted on wheels to run on widely;7 spaced track rails laid on the dock, so that the machine could be moved along the edge of the dock for use at any point and also permitting the machine to be moved away to clear the dock 'or other uses when the machine is not in use.

Heretot'orc machines oi`.tl1is latter type have been largely used tor loading and unloading bananas into and .trom ships and from and into railway cars on the docks. Commonly a railway track runs along the dock between the track rails for the machine` and other railway tracks run along the dock inward ot the dock from the inward track rail for the machine, i. e., inward from the water and towards the land. lVhen such a machine in use it blocks the outermost railway track (the track nearest the water) so that this track not only can not be utilized 'for cars -from which bananas are to be unloaded and loaded into a ship but the track rendered useless. Therefore. in using such a machine all the bananas have to be taken ifi-om cars on the tracks inward or landward from the machine. Commonly, with these prior machines. the bananas were. taken first from `cars on the next adjacent inward track, or second track l'rom the edge ot' the dock. lVhen the cars on this track were emptied` the. loading ot lhe ship had to be stopy'icd` the machine and men being idle and the loading being delayed until the empty cars could be pulled out. after which the bananas would be taken from cars on the next or third inward track; the track nearest the edge ot the dock and running under the machine being blocked thereby against use. When the cars on this third track were emptied, again the loading had to stop until Serial No. 34,019.

loaded cars could be run in on the track from which the loading was [irst done, and so on, in the cycle ol: intermittent periods ol work and idleness. with the consequent delays in loading. With the machine used `lor unloading a ship, obviously, similar delays would occur.

An object ot the present invention is to provide a machine ot the latter or large type above noted which provides for the fruit or the like being continuously supplied to it in a :hip loading operation, or similarly taken ilrom it in unloading, thereby perniitting uninterrupted operation` without the above noted periods of idleness and delay. Other more particular objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

ln carrying out the invention the frame of the machine is provided with spaced supporting legs organtry legs arranged to occupy positions inward and outward relatively to the edge ot the dock or wharf' and to straddle the outermost railway track and cars thereon tor the location or movement of the cars between the gantry legs, and the endless conveyor of the machine is so arranged and guided that ears on the outermo't track (nearest the water) may be used in loading and unloading operations as well as cars on the inward tracks, so that cars may be available on one of the tracks while on another available track the ears are being taken away and replaced. The invention also includes various` `features oit construction and combinations of rparts aswill appear from the following description.

The machine illustrated in the accompanying drawings as an embodiment of the in vention will now be described. after which the invention will be pointed out in the claims. i

ln the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1. is an end elevation. Fic'. 2 a front elevation and Fig. 3 is a plan view partly in horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. ot a. machiney embodying the invention. Fig. l also showing diagramma tically a ship alongsidea whartl or dock upon which the machine is located.

The dock l has thereon the usual railway tracks shown an outermost track Q. an inward track 3, and inward from track 3 there may be yet other tracks, as is usual. The dock also has thereon, substantially as usually, a pair of widely spaced track rails 4 tor a ship loading and unloading machine lixed, these-wheels being sprockets engaging the conveyor chains 16 to impart traveling movement to the conveyor upon rotation otl the shaft 10. Speed-reducing gearing is provided for connecting the motor 37 to the conveyor operating shaft 10, shown as comprising a gear box 38 (containing speedreducing gears) on the second tloor trame 9, and spur gearing 39.

The cable 40 of the tackle for raising and lowering the main boom 11 is wound on a drum 41 located on the second floor trame 9 and iixed on a shaft 42 which may be connected to the countershatt 35 through speedreducing gearing comprising a suitable clutch 43, sprocket gearing 44, a short sha'lt 45 andworni gearing 46.

The cable 47 of the tackle lor raising and lowering the auxiliary boom 12 is wound on a drum 48 on the main tloor trame 5 and fixed on a shaft 49 which may be connected to the counter-shaft 35 through speed-reducing gearing comprising a suitable clutch 59. sprocket gearing 51, a short shaft 52, and worm gearing 53.

For effecting movement ot' the machine to dili'erent locations along the dock, some oli' the track wheels 7 at the front and rear of the machine may be connected to the countershatt 35 through speed-reducing gearing comprising a suitable clutch 54, sprocket gearing 55, a shaft 56, worm gearing 57 at eaclrfe'ndfof the latter shaft, a pair ot transverse shafts 58 on the main floor il'rame 5,

and Sprocket gearing 59 connecting the latter shat'ts to the track wheels 7.

It is evident. according to the manner ot carrying out the invention, that the two piv-V otally jointed booms 11 and 12 provide not only Jror the raising or lowering of the marine leg 14, according to the height of the ship, its extent of submergence, or the depth l'of-its hold, etc., b ut also provide for moving the marine :leg'g'in vard or outward, according to the beam or width ot the ship. It should be notedtli-at the power drive tor the long endless conif'eyor is applied thereto at the most advantageous point, bQlll "lV loadingand unloading operations', a'nd'particularly so for loading, for` which machines ot this type are for the most part employed.

lilith the driving power applied to the conveyor chains 16 by thc sprocket wheels 22 on the pivot shaft l() for the main boom ll, the load-carrying pockets 1S carried by these chains will be lifted directly. in the loading ot a ship, and in unloading, the lifting ol' the loaded pockets along the marine leg 14 is almost as direct. This requires less power, decreases wear and. ot more importance, by a minimum of strain on the conveyor chains 16, `greatly lessens the liability of breakage with a consequent shut-down 'for repairs. For example, were the conveyor chains, such as 16, driven from the lower end oit outward from the above described descend-` ing conveyor portion which is gi"idedfon lli inward gantry leg.

In loading a ship the iti-uit oi as heretoil'ore, lirst be taken tro ,l i`e-iears on `the second inward track 8 an( when these are emptied the lfruit or the like may be taken -from the cars on the lirst or outcrmost track 2 without any stoppage ol operation. lVhile the loading is taking place `from the latter cars the empty cars on the inward track 3 may be replaced with loaded 'ars'. lVlien the cars on the outermost track 2 are emptied, then the loading, without stopping, may take place from the cars which have been placed on the inward track 3, whilethe empty cars on the outermost track 2 may be replaced with loaded cars, and so on, the operation proceeding continuously until the ship is loaded, without delays and periods of idleness of the machine and men, as heretofore.

Furthern'iore. since the machine ot the present invention renders the outermost track available to be used tor all purposes, cars thereon may be run past the machine to any point along the dock tor thus transporting anything desired; and in this connection it is to be noted that two or more of the machines may be in operation at the same time at different places along the dock, for dit'- ierent ships, the loading oierations or all the machines taking place at the same time rom cars on the outermost track 2 as well as from the inward tracks.

Also it is to be noted that the .machines of the present invention increase the car capacity ot the wharf to the extent ot' `one more available track l'or the placing oiloaded ars, this being important by reason ofthe fact that the 4railroad yards are often at some distance from the" wharl or dock. ln order to obtain this increased car capacily willi the machines formerly used it would be necessary lo build the `dock Vfourteen :feet wider, ior an additional track. :is the track occupied by these toriiner n'iachines could not be used tor any other purpose.

lVhen the machine ot the present invention is employed for unloading ships, they entire operation is substantially reversed in relation to that above described.

It is obvious that various modilications may be made in the construction shown in the drawings and above particularly 'described within the principle and scope of the llikeniayafi' i i lll) L in@ A invention an pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A machine 'tor loadingr and unloading` fruit and the like into and out ot' Ships coinprising a rigid supporting frame designed to be located entirely upon a 'doelt and having; gantry legs arranged inward and outward so vehicles may travel along` the dock between the grant/ry legs, a boom connected to the traine above the nantry legs and adapted to overhangl the ship, an endless couveyor, means carried by the trame and its boom for guiding the conveyor, and powerdriven means for operating the conveyor in engagement with vthe loiid-carrying run thereof adjacent the tramaconnected end ot the boom, said conveyor including' a bight portion guidedon the trame and deeccnding; from, the power-driven means into proximity to the doclr permanently adjacent the inward gant-ry.leg` so that vehicles may be located outward relatively to Said deec-ending conveyor portion, said conveyor beine` guided on the boom and extending outward along' the boom 'from the power-driven mean@l and having` a bight portion'dejJi-ndingl -from the boom to enter the hold of the ship.

2. A machine for loading and unloading` fruit and the like into and out or ships comjn'ieing` a .trame part having;` inward and outward gantry legs tor supportingthe machine upon a dock so vehicles may travel along` the doelt between the `gantry legs7 a tower upon said trame. part, a main boom pivoted on the tower to swing in a vertical plane and adapted to extend over the ship, an

auxiliary boom pivoted on the main boom to swing;` in a vertical plane, an endless conu veyoi; means `for guiding the .conveyor on said iframe part and tower and booms;7 and power-driven means for operating` the conveyor in engagement there 7ith adjacent the pivot point or the main boom on the tower, aaid conveyor includinga portion,depending `from the auxiliary boom for entering,` the hold o'r the ship and another portion deecendinp; into proximity to the dock adjacent the inward `gantry leg and guided thereon so that vehicles may be located outward relatively to Said descending conveyor portion.

El. A machine :tor loading and unloading` -l'ruit and the lilre into and out oi ships conn prisingg' a rigid traine having' inward and outward gantry lege for Supporting the inachinc upon a doel; so vehicles may travel along` the doclr between the gantry legs, a main boom pivote-fl on the traine above the Le'antry logje to Swing-l in a vertical plane and to extend over the Ship, an` auxiliary boom pivoted on. the main boom to swing,T in a vertical plane and provifjiing` tor varying the effective length ot' the connected booms, an endless conveyor having chains means for guiding' the conveyor chaine on Said 'frame and booms including driving sprockets for the conveyor coaxial with the pivot ot the main boom on the traine, and j iower-driveu means rer rotating Sai d Sprockets, Said con.- veyor includinga bight portion depending from the auxiliary hoorn for entering' the hold or the Ship and'another bight portion the load-carrying` run or which passes over said spi'oclretfes and whica deeccnds into proximity to the dock adjacent to and is guided on the inward gantry leg so that vehicles may be located both inward and outward relativelyT to said descending conveyor portion., and whereby tne drivingv `power ie applied to the conveyor at an intermediate point of its loadcarrying run an'l at a turning' point therein.

4. fr loadingand unloadii'lg` machine tor Ships coinprieing` a rigid :traine having inward and outward gantry legs, main boom pivoted on the trame above the gantry lege to swing; in a vertical plane over the ship, an auxiliary boom pivoted on the main boom to swing` in a vertical plane and vary thev elifective length oit the two bocina taken tof `srether, a depending' marine lee' to enter the hold ot the ship pivoted to the outer end or the auxiliary boom to provide for the swing'- ing or the booms, an endleas conveyor having chains, means tor guiding the load-canl rying and return runs ot' the conveyor on the trame from a point on the iinvard gjantry leg in proximity to the dock along the booms and along the length or the marine leg, said guiding means l'or the load-carrying run of the conveyor including wheels coaxial, with the pivot of the marine lef; on the auxiliary boom and other wheeleI coaxial with the pivot or the auxiliary loooin on the main boom and driving` sprockets coaxial with the pivot ot the main boom on the traine, and power-driven means for rotating,v said sprockcts thereby to drive the conveyor.

ln witness whereof, l hereunto subscribe my signature.

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